Monday, June 30, 2008

"This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world." (NASB)

STRONGS HEBREW/GREEK ORIGINS

This is pure (katharos: no uncleanness, free from corrupt desire, sin and guilt) and undefiled (amiantos: unsoiled, free from that by which the nature of a thing is deformed) religion (threskeia: worship, religious discipline) in the sight of (para: before, near, beside) our God and Father: to visit (episkeptomai: to look after, have care for, provide for) orphans (orphanos: fatherless, those without a teacher, guide, guardian) and widows (chera: deficient ones) in their distress (thlipsis: affliction, trouble, anguish, persecution, burden), and to keep oneself unstained (aspilos: unspotted, spotless, irreproachable) by the world (kosmos: the ungodly multitude; whole mass of men alienated from God and therefore hostile to the cause of Christ).

SUMMARY

Unclean, unsoiled worship that is near to God is to care for the fatherless (those that don’t know Him as Abba) – it is also to look out for the ones lacking the love of a husband (we are the Bride of Christ, He is to be our Husband) for these are afflicted and in trouble. It is also to remain unstained and unaffected by the ungodly world, for it is hostile toward your Lord Jesus Christ.

MEDITATION

Am I a part of what God defines as worship? Am I filtering my every thought and decision to make sure that I’m unstained and unblemished by this world? Am I reaching out to the hurting and broken that are around me?

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Well, the blogosphere has just expanded a bit more today. It all started when I'd run across Scripture after Scripture full of truth and wisdom whenever I'd be studying for teaching-type articles. I'd repeatededy find so many verses, many that most of us have heard hundreds of times, that have been so misinterpreted throughout the years. When I'd look into them, time after time I'd say "Oh, so that's what that verse is saying!". We need to know what the Bible is really saying. I vowed a couple years ago to never again just take someone else's word for it and my understanding of the Word has never been the same because of it.

With that in mind, this blog will be simple - one verse every day, the original text detailed, a summary of what it is really saying to us and then a challenge to apply it to your own life. I'd encourage you to bookmark this site now and return daily. If you don't have a routine of seeking God's Word for yourself each day, then this is for you. The verse in the logo says it all - just as we feed our physical man each day, we are to feed our spirit-man each day with the Word of God. The word "rhema" (pronounced hray'-mah) is Greek for utterance. A rhema is a verse or portion of Scripture that the Holy Spirit brings to our attention with application to a current situation or need for direction. So, open your Bible, expect the Lord to speak... you might be surprised at what comes alive within you!

Who runs this thing?

I'm pretty much your average 44 year old guy that now lives in the beautiful mountains of Southwestern Virginia. I love being a daddy and a husband. I live to be continually conformed into the image of Christ and believe that I exist to bring Heaven down to the earth. I love to challenge what you believe - not so that I can prove that either of us are right or wrong, but to get you to know why you believe what you do.
I'm not into conferences, glory meetings or hyped up Christianity. Nor am I stagnant and zombie-fied in ignorance and spiritual depravity while snoring in a church pew. Are these our only two options? Who will mature in Christ and seek to be conformed to His image above all else?
I used to write.... ALOT. I started two books that have been temporarily "shelved" until some spare time returns.
I long for Christ's sleeping church to awaken and share this whenever I can. I believe and personally know that God speaks to people today. Will you heed His voice?
Feel free to email me at: desh412[at]yahoo.com .